DGB has plenty to prove heading into second NFL season

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Former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham shares a laugh with an attendee to his youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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Former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham breaks down attendees to his youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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Attendees warm up during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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An attendee runs through a defensive lineman drill during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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Attendees run over sand bags during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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Attendees run through an offensive line drill during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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An attendee celebrates after going through a running back drill during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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Former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham speaks to attendees at his youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez, Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

A kid shows off his war scream during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
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Attendees watch as Arkansas State tight end Jonah Hill explain a quarterback drill during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez, Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Attendees run through a running back drill during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez, Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

An attendee hits a ball as part of a defensive line drill during former Hillcrest High School and current NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham's youth football camp held at Hoyt Shumate Stadium in Springfield, Mo. on June 25, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez, Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

It’s only his second NFL season, and Dorial Green-Beckham’s place on the Tennessee Titans’ roster is safe.

But it’s clear there’s plenty at stake for the former Hillcrest High and Mizzou star receiver as the team opens training camp on Saturday.

Green-Beckham finished his rookie season with 32 catches for 549 yards and four touchdowns, and led all NFL receivers in the percentage of catches resulting in a first down (93.8 percent).

He developed a nice working relationship with quarterback and fellow rookie Marcus Mariota.

It’s clear, though, that the expectations are higher this year for the second-round pick from the 2015 draft.

“I’m seeing bits and pieces with DGB,” first-year coach Mike Malarkey said in a story posted on the Titans’ website.

“There’s flashes, but obviously it needs to be more consistent.”

That’s not news to Green-Beckham, who has been included on more than one NFL.com list of players destined for a breakout season.

That comes from continued familiarity with Mariota, plus the big-play capability he showed as a rookie. He averaged more than 17 yards per reception, and down the stretch consistently used his 6-foot-5 frame to his advantage when matched against smaller defensive backs.

“My mindset is that I can have a breakout season, but it’s up to me,” Green-Beckham said. “It’s up to my grind and how I train myself and how I train my body.”

The way he trains and works out has been a point of emphasis this offseason.

Green-Beckham was back for OTAs and minicamp after missing some early offseason time with a hamstring that has been an issue his entire career, dating back to his Hillcrest days.

He’s still officially listed at 237 pounds but has dropped a few pounds as he works to become quicker and more explosive off the line.

It’s all part of the adjustments and way of life that comes with being a professional athlete.

“It’s been more of a job, competing and pushing yourself to the max,” Green-Beckham said, “knowing you’re out there for a purpose.”

Another thing insiders say he needs to show improvement on is learning the playbook.

Dorial Green-Beckham became a fan favorite since being drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2015.(Photo: George Walker IV / The Tennessean)

Even with decent numbers his rookie season, that was a problem area that kept him from being used more in the offense.

This offseason, he has seen rookie fifth-rounder Tajae Sharpe take reps with the first team, and former Miami receiver Rishard Matthews join an already crowded group of receivers.

Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter and Harry Douglas also figure to be in the mix in training camp.

That makes having a mastery of the Titans’ offense even more important for Green-Beckham. It’s a task he said he’s serious about.

“Whatever my coaches and teammates want me to do, I’ll do it, because those are my guys,” he said. “Those are the guys I fight for and those are the guys I bleed for.”

Green-Beckham caught touchdown passes in his second and third NFL games, then had a consistent run in the second half of the season.

In the final nine games, he had 35 catches for 445 yards and two more scores. Included in that were a 119-yard effort against Jacksonville and a 113-yard game versus New England.

It was that first touchdown reception, though, that made the biggest impression after he had spent a year away from game competition before being drafted.

“It was a welcome moment, like ‘Welcome to the NFL, this is your first touchdown,’ ” Green-Beckham said.

“It made me a lot more hungry, and it told me that I’m in the right place. I’m here to do those things, and I’m doing them. That was the first one, and there’s many more to come. Let’s keep fighting and continue to keep doing those things.”

DGB may still have some things to prove to Mularkey and any doubters remaining.

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Hillcrest senior Dorial Green Beckham carries the ball as St. Clair junior Kyle Juergens attempts to tackle him during a Class 4 regional game at Hillcrest High School on Wednesday, November 2, 2011.
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Hillcrest receiver Dorial Green-Beckham narrowly avoids Seneca's Braxton Graham as Green-Beckham carries the ball to the endzone for a touchdown at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin on Saturday, August 27, 2011.
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Hillcrest senior Dorial Green Beckham carries the ball down the line as St. Clair senior Tyler Sumner gets dragged to the ground as he try to stop him during a Class 4 regional game at Hillcrest High School on Wednesday, November 2, 2011.
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Hillcrest Hornets senior Dorial Green-Beckham drives down field carrying the ball as Marshfield Blue Jay Vincent Paoni makes a failed attempt to stop him during a football game at Marshfield on Friday, October 21, 2011.
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